Britain’s ADHD Boom
How a perfect storm of pandemic pressures, social media awareness, and evolving medical understanding has transformed the landscape of ADHD in the UK and Scotland
Morag was always the scatty one at school. She grew into the friend who lost her keys daily, forgot appointments, and never seemed able to finish what she started. And then she watched a TikTok video about ADHD symptoms in women and suddenly it clicked. “It was like someone had written my life story,” she recalls. “I’d never joined the dots before.”
Morag isn’t alone. Across the UK, millions of adults and parents are experiencing their own “aha moments” of recognition, leading to what experts are calling an unprecedented surge in ADHD diagnoses that has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of this common neurodevelopmental condition.
Staggering Growth
The statistics are astonishing. Since 2015, prescriptions for ADHD medications in England have risen by over 150%, while referrals for assessments have skyrocketed to levels that have overwhelmed specialist services across the nation. As of 2025, an estimated 2.5 million people in England are believed to have ADHD, including both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals, with 741,000 of these being children [1,2, 3].
But perhaps the most striking recent trend is the adult awakening. ADHD diagnoses among adults increased by 15% between 2020 and 2023, after declining by nearly 11% from 2016 to 2020, representing what researchers describe as a twenty-fold increase in diagnoses among men aged 18-29 years alone.
The gender divide remains pronounced but is narrowing. Boys aged 10-16 have seen diagnoses increase from 1.4% in 2000 to 3.5% by 2018, with current rates showing 255 per 10,000 boys compared to 67.7 per 10,000 girls receiving diagnoses [4]. Among adults, men still dominate the statistics at 74.3 per 10,000 compared to 20 per 10,000 women, but this gap is closing as awareness of how ADHD presents differently in females continues to grow.
Scotland’s Treatment Gap
While England’s data dominates UK headlines, Scotland tells a more troubling story. ADHD is thought to affect approximately 5% of school aged children, meaning that around 37,000 children in Scotland are living with ADHD [5]. Despite this access to diagnosis and treatment remains severely limited.
For charts, analysis and trends in presctibing patterns see Prescription Insight ADHD Drugs on this website.
The Scottish ADHD Coalition’s research reveals a disturbing treatment gap: in some parts of Scotland, fewer than 1 in 7 children with ‘severe ADHD’ were receiving any treatment and less than 1 in 25 of those with the broader definition of ADHD have received a diagnosis. For adults, the situation is even more stark, with less than 1 in 1000 adults (0.1%) in Scotland taking medication for ADHD in 2017, despite estimates that 2.5-4% of the adult population would benefit from treatment [6].
The postcode lottery element is particularly cruel. NHS Tayside’s current waiting time for children referred to its neurodevelopmental services is 154 weeks – nearly three years – highlighting the crisis facing Scottish families seeking help for their children [7]. In Glasgow, some adults have waits of 18 months for assessment. Whereas someone in London might access assessment within months through Right to Choose provisions (allowing patients to access private providers funded by the NHS), Scottish patients have no such option, as Right to Choose is not currently available in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The Perfect Storm
The surge in diagnosis didn’t happen in a vacuum. Multiple factors converged to create a “perfect storm” of recognition and demand.
The Pandemic As A Catalyst
COVID-19 acted as an unexpected diagnostic catalyst. Lockdowns disrupted the structures and coping mechanisms that many undiagnosed individuals had unknowingly relied upon. Remote working and learning exposed difficulties with focus, organization, and time management that had previously been masked by external frameworks. Parents observing their children during home schooling began noticing behaviours that teachers had long flagged but families had dismissed [8].
The Social Media Revolution
Increased awareness and reduced stigma is a result of the growth in public dialogue around neurodiversity, mental health, and ADHD. Perhaps no factor has been more transformative than the explosion of ADHD awareness on social media platforms. The #ADHD hashtag on TikTok and Instagram has generated millions of views, with creators sharing personal stories that resonate deeply. Additionally, the internet provides easy access to information on ADHD, self-assessment tools, and supportive online communities.
While some critics worry about self-diagnosis trends, mental health professionals acknowledge that social media has played a crucial role in helping people recognize symptoms, particularly among women and minorities who were historically under-diagnosed.
Adult Awareness
There is a surge in adults seeking and receiving diagnoses. Previously, ADHD was largely viewed as a childhood condition that individuals “grew out of.” Research now confirms that it persists into adulthood for the majority. Adults who struggled undiagnosed for decades, who were often masking symptoms and facing consequences in work, relationships, and mental health, are now coming forward in unprecedented numbers.
Medical Science Evolution
The medical understanding of ADHD has evolved dramatically. A key diagnostic textbook (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) broadened the diagnostic criteria, reduced symptom thresholds for older adolescents and adults, and improved recognition of the “inattentive” type of ADHD that doesn’t involve obvious hyperactivity. This shift has been particularly significant for women, who are more likely to present with internalized symptoms like disorganization and emotional dysregulation rather than the disruptive behaviours traditionally associated with ADHD.
Health Inequalities
ADHD Doesn’t Affect All Communities Equally
Diagnosis rates are higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas, affecting both children and adults. This disparity reflects complex interactions between socioeconomic factors, environmental influences, and access to healthcare [9]. Paradoxically, reports show that children in private education are more likely to have an ADHD (or dyslexia) diagnosis, which automatically grants them more time when sitting exams [10]. This may be due to the parents of privately educated children being more likely to seek and pay for diagnosis via Private Clinic Assessments.
Is Overdiagnosis The Issue?
The surge has inevitably triggered debates about potential overdiagnosis. Critics point to social media trends and the pressures of modern life as potentially driving unnecessary diagnoses. However, most experts argue that the increase represents a correction of historical underdiagnosis rather than overidentification [4].
Prof. Edmund Sonuga-Barke, a leading ADHD researcher, emphasizes that “we’re seeing the recognition of a condition that was always there but wasn’t being identified, particularly in women, minorities, and adults who developed coping strategies that masked their symptoms.”[11]
In the UK the Royal College of Psychiatrists maintains that rigorous, comprehensive assessments by qualified professionals remain essential to ensure diagnostic accuracy, and supports expanding access to these assessments.
Looking Forward
Addressing the ADHD revolution requires sustained, strategic investment. The NHS England taskforce for stakeholder engagement and developed a national ADHD data improvement plan has recently published its first report [12].
The key priorities identified for England which will speak to the same requirements across the UK include:
Workforce Development
Rapidly expanding training pathways for psychiatrists, specialist nurses, psychologists, and other clinicians qualified to diagnose and manage ADHD across the lifespan.
Service Innovation
Exploring new models of care including enhanced shared care protocols, validated digital screening tools, and integrated support networks linking NHS services with schools, universities, employers, and voluntary organizations.
Addressing Regional Inequalities
Developing national standards for access and waiting times, with particular focus on addressing Scotland’s service gaps and extending Right to Choose provisions beyond England.
Post-Diagnostic Support
Recognizing that diagnosis is just the beginning, investment is needed in medication management, psychological support, ADHD coaching, and workplace accommodations.
Conclusion
The New Normal
The impact of the ADHD awakening extends far beyond healthcare. Schools are adapting teaching approaches, employers are implementing neurodiversity policies, and families are reconstructing their understanding of behaviour and achievement. The traditional model of ADHD as a childhood disorder that children “grow out of” has been comprehensively debunked, replaced by recognition of it as a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference requiring appropriate support.
The surge in ADHD diagnoses since around 2015 represents one of the most significant shifts in mental health awareness of our time. What began as increased recognition has evolved into a fundamental reimagining of how we understand attention, focus, and neurodiversity in modern society.
The challenges are substantial – overwhelmed waiting lists, regional inequalities, and stretched services – but the underlying trend reflects positive progress toward recognition and support for neurodivergent individuals. As we move forward, the question isn’t whether the increase in ADHD diagnoses is “real” – it’s how quickly society can adapt to support the millions of people to provide the recognition and help they’ve long needed.
Limits of the Data
Not all the data sources are contemporary (2024/25) and cover different time periods. Also, differences in the way the NHS in Scotland and England collect and publish data makes like for like comparisons impossible. Nevertheless, the surge in requests for diagnosis, referrals, diagnosis and treatment for ADHD is happening and is real.
ADHD Resources
For more information about ADHD support visit:
adhduk.co.uk
scottishadhdcoalition.org
https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk
Further Reading
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/report-of-the-independent-adhd-taskforce-part-1
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jul/significant-rise-adhd-diagnoses-uk
References
1 https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-programme-update
2 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10375867
3 https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/may-2025
4 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jul/significant-rise-adhd-diagnoses-uk
5 https://education.gov.scot/resources/neurodiversity/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
6 https://www.scottishadhdcoalition.org/adhd-in-scotland
7 https://www.nhstaysidecdn.scot.nhs.uk/NHSTaysideWeb
8 https://artsandsciences.syracuse.edu/news-all/news-2024/whats-driving-the-rise-in-adhd-diagnosis-among-children-and-adults
9 https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/camh.12707
10 https://schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-investigates-extra-exam-time-at-private-schools
11 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5vp62dnnro
12 https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/report-of-the-independent-adhd-taskforce-part-1